This week we will be looking at urban vulnerability and risk assessments in the light of climate variability and climate projections. Arguably in order to make effective plans and implement actions to increase climate resilience in cities it is necessary to understand which risks pose the greatest threats and which areas of the city, and thus portions of the population, are most vulnerable to climate change. The reason for this is that risks and vulnerabilities differ massively between cities, and in order for local solutions to be developed a firm understanding of the local reality is invaluable. Areas at risk are not merely those located on hillsides, river banks or coast lines, components of risk include poverty levels, access to health facilities and quality of housing, to name but a few. In cities in Latin America there is an increasing trend to map risks and weaknesses geographically, to understand where to focus attention.
This week we have an interview with Dr Martha Barata, from the city of Rio de Janeiro, who was a key player in the climate vulnerability mapping done in the State of Rio de Janeiro; and Dr Andrea Young has shared two documents with us, one on environmental-risk mapping in 4 cities in Brazil, and one on Climate Risk and Vulnerability Mapping in São Paulo. In addition to the material posted here below you will find a UNDP guidebook on mapping climate change vulnerability, and a World Bank risk mapping toolkit in the Resource Library.
We would like to invite you to please view these files and take part in the following discussion:
1) Are similar climate vulnerability and risk assessments being developed or undertaken in the cities that you live and work in? If so, how might the results being utilised to improve climate resilience in cities?
2) If climate vulnerability and risk mapping is a new concept for you, how might your city go about carrying out such an exercise? What might be the assist or hinder the undertaking of such an exercise?
If you have any particular questions for Dr Martha Barata, you will be pleased to hear that she will be joining us for this week’s discussion.
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